Best Brewery Tours in America

The average brewery tour is just further proof that beer makes everything better. Wander a hallway and listen to a guy ramble for 15 minutes? Boring. But when that same guy hands you a tiny glass filled with several ounces of cold, fresh lager? Brilliant. Such is the power of man's most popular beverage. With hundreds of breweries emerging nationwide, here are a few of the most popular stops to drink in all the perks.

Harpoon Brewery (Boston): Everybody in Boston goes to Sam Adams, but you’ll find us at Harpoon, a craft giant best known for its UFO Hefeweizen. How many times have you had to watch people make beer as you salivate over it, secretly hoping your tour guide wraps things up? Crisis averted here, where you can fill up your glass during the tour with samples that include green, unfermented IPA.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

2 of 8

Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, New York)

Located in the trendy neighborhood of Williamsburg, Brooklyn holds weekend tours and Friday night happy hours that fill up quickly. While the “tour” itself is modest—it involves one room—we included it here for the fun that comes after: Trade in tokens for brews like the ’55 Pennant Ale and the fruity Brooklyner-Weisse, congregate with your beer-loving brethren in a packed cafeteria, and play a few hands of poker while you enjoy the buzz.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

3 of 8

Yuengling Factory (Pottsville, PA):

As America’s oldest brewery, the historic value alone merits Yuengling a place on this list. Set foot inside and you get whisked back to the 19th century—from the giant, rusty brew kettles to the hand-dug, musty caves that stored beer before the invention of fridges. While many visitors struggle to pronounce the name, the brand is so synonymous with its legions of northeastern fans that they simply call it, “lager.”

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

4 of 8

Anheuser-Busch Family Tour (St. Louis)

Forget that both Anheuser and Busch were German—there’s hardly anything more American than Bud. In the Gateway City, you can spend a whole day touring the massive brewing and packaging facilities, showing the kids the famous Clydesdale horses and Dalmatians, and admiring the legendary architecture. But the real highlight of the brewery is signing up for Beer School, an interactive class that teaches the fundamentals of home brewing.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

5 of 8

Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY)

Baseball and beer: The perfect summer combo. Brewery Ommegang recognizes that long-standing relationship. It’s wisely positioned on a gorgeous old 150-acre hop farm near the Baseball Hall of Fame. Ommegang, which specializes in Belgian-style ales, also knows that beer is only part of the equation for a great brewery experience. People also flock there for the races, tournaments, and concerts frequently held in the brewery’s big backyard.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

6 of 8

Anchor Brewing (San Francisco)

Craft beer purists are intensely loyal to Fritz Maytag, Anchor’s former owner, for reviving the culture of American microbrewing. Hence why you'll likely need a reservation for this tour. Book now if you’re planning a trip—they fill up six months in advance. Hear the staffers tell “Fritz stories” and watch the craftsmen hard at work in the old copper brewhouse. Then stick around for the endless samples of the seasonal California beers at the end.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

7 of 8

Lakefront Brewery (Milwaukee)

If you’ve been called the most fun brewery in America, you’d better be able to prove it. Guides crack dirty jokes, visitors swig full beers at tent bars, and croon the theme song to Laverne and Shirley. Blame the Wheat Monkey Ale, or maybe the Eastside Dark Lager. And if you’re lucky enough to be there on a Friday night, stick around for the polka-fueled fish fry.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

8 of 8

Dogfish Head (Milton, DE)

Dogfish used to be a hidden secret among hop enthusiasts, but now the secret's out. Few breweries deliver beers with such high alcohol content—it’s 120-minute IPA is 20 percent ABV—that taste great. Don't miss the giant Steampunk Treehouse sculpture, a recent import from the Burning Man Festival. After the tour, you’ll get to sample four beers of your choice. Just watch your intake, or you might be shacking up in that treehouse.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Men's Health participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.